Brine valves



Sept 24, 1963 A. J. FLEcKENsTElN ETAL 3,104,677

BRINE VALVES original Filed July 2v, 19Go United States Patent O "ce 7 Claims. (Cl. 137-391) This application -is a continuation of application Serial No. 45,597, iiled July 27, 1960, now abandoned.

This invention relates to improvements in brine valves and more particularly to Va novel composite brine valve.

An object of the invention is to provide a composite valve which will automatically permit entry of uid into a water softener in response to the lowering of a level in the tank.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a wide View partly in section and partly in elevation of a water softener tank equipped with a brine valve embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the same; and

FIGURE 3 is a 'fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation of the brine valve and associated parts. v

Referring Imore particularly to the drawing, the numeral refers tothe device generally, including a tank 11 and the relatively small tubular inner tank 12. A pipe 13 extends downwardly into tank 12 which has a plurality of lateral apertures as at 14 adjacent the lower end 15 thereof. In the tank 11 a l-ayer of mineral 16 is topped by a quantity of salt 17.

At the lower end of pipe 13, a plug 1S is threaded into a valve body 19 provided with a frustro-conical lower annular shoulder, `freely supporting the ball element 21. The shoulder 20 has a bleed port at 22 thereof. The lower end of the valve body 19 has a reduced portion 23 externally threaded -at 24 and which is eng-aged within the upper internally threaded portion 25 of the valve body 26, which latter has the lateral socket 27 accommodating the elbow 28. A bore at 29 of the lower portion 30 of the valve body 26 accommodates the Vertical pusher element which is retained against downward. movement by the resilient dome stop 31 which has an internal channel formation at 32 engaged on the threaded collar 33 secured to the externally threaded lower portion of the valve body 26. An 0 ring is seated on the shoulder 34 within the valve body 26 to receive the ball element 35.

A stop 36 limits the upward movement of the ball element 35. A bracket 37 supports by the pivot 38 the lever 39, the short `ar-m 40 of which impinges upwardly against the dome element 31 to cause upward movement of the pusher element 26a when the fluid level at 41 descends allowing the float 42 on the long arm 43 of the lever 39 to drop. As the brine level lowers, the lloat 42 descends so that it is ready to hold the valve in the open position when the make up water is -added to the brine tank. The valve opens on suction without requiring movement of the float. Stop 36 serves to break up the high velocity stream from bleed port 22 so that it does not impinge against the ball 35.

As will be seen in the drawings, both valve closing members 21 and 35 are subject to the pressure conditions in the lines 13 and 28. For example, when a suction condition exists at the upper end of the valve (as may be dened by iitting 19) both members 21 and 35 are raised from their seats, which allows flow of the liquid 41 through the passageway dened through tting 28, the

valve and body 26, the tting 19 `and through the line 13.

3,104,677 Patented Sept. 24, 1963 As this ilow continues, the level of the iluid 41 drops, which results in float 42 dropping, with the result that push rod 26a is moved upwardly to positively hold valve 35 off of its seat.

In the absence of suction in the line 13 and/or with a positive pressure therein, both valves 35v Iand 21 may close Iagainst their seats by gravity. Fluid may bleed past valve closing member 21, asthrough bleed port 22, and through the valve seat 34, if the float is in the depressed position, which results in holding valve closing member 35 `away from its seat to allow fluid to enter the tank 12. If the iloat 42 is at its upper position, as seen in FIGURE 3, the passageway through 'the valve body is closed by valve closing member 35, thereby stopping the ow of uid to tank 12.

Whereas we have shown and described an operative form of the invention, it should be understood that this showing and description lthereof should be taken in an illustrative or diagrammatic sense only. There are many modlications in and to the invention which will fall within the scope and spirit thereof and which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention should be limitedV only by the scope of the hereinafter appended claims.

We claim:

1 In a control valve, la valve body having a passageway formed through saidbody and adapted to establish communication between opposite ends thereof, a pair of spaced valve seats in said passageway anda pair of independently movable valve closing members mounted in said passageway, each valve closing member being positioned for movement against one of said seats under the influence of gravity and away from one of said seats under Ithe iniluence of suction, a bleed port bypassing one ofthe valve seats `so as to subject the valve closing member for the other valve seat to suction and pressure conditions in the passageway on opposite sides of said one valve seat independent of the valve closing member therefor and thereby allow opening and closing movement, respectively of said valve closing member `for the other valveseat in accordance with said conditions, la push rod slidably mounted in said valve body and having an end portion thereof positioned for contact with said second valve closing member, and a member movably mounted toward and away from said push rod, said member being interconnected with a oat so as to move toward said push rod when said float i-s lowered :and to move away 'from said push rod when said float is raised, said member having one end thereof positioned for movement against said push rod to hold said second valve member away from its seat under influence Iof said float when said iloat is moved to a lowered position while allowing movement of said second valve member away from its seat independently of said member when `said oat is at an upper position.

2. The structure of claim 1 characterized by and including a lstop positioned between said two valve seats and adapted to limit movement of said second valve closing member away from said seat.

3. The structure of claim l wherein each valve closing member is in the Iform of a ball` 4. The structure of claim 1 characterized by and including a diaphragm enclosing an end of said push rod and positioned externally of said valve body, said last named member has one end there-of positioned for actuating contact with said diaphragm and thereby said push rod, the other end of said member having :a oat mounted thereon.

5. In a level control valve, 4a valve body having an inlet and au outlet, passage means formed through said body and adapted to establish communication between said inlet and said outlet, a pair `of `spaced valve seats in said passageway and a pair of independently movable valve closing members mounted in said passageway, each 3 valve closing member being positioned for movement against and away yfrom one of said seats, a bleed port bypassing the valve seat nearest said inlet so as to subject the valve closing member lfor the other valve seat to a suction condition in said inlet, while allowing a restricted flow from said inlet to said outlet when said valve closing member for the valve seat nearest the inlet is closed upon its seat yand said other valve closing member is away from its seat, a push rod slidably mounted in said valve body and having an operative'con-nection with said second Valve closing member, and a iloat and actuated means interconnected therewith and with said push rod to hold said second valve member away from its seat under iniluence of said lloat when said float is moved to a predetermined lowered position while allowing movement of said second valve member toward and away from its seat to close and open .the valve under the influence of pressure conditions when said iloat -is at positions above said predetermined lowered position.

6. In a control valve, a valve body having a passageway formed through said body and adapted to establish communication between opposite ends thereof, a pair of spaced valve seats in said passageway and a pair of independently movable valve closing members mounted in said passage- Way, each valve closing member being positioned for movement against one of said seats under the inuence of gravity and away from one of ysaid seats under the influence of suction, a bleed port bypassing one of the valve seats so as to subject the valve closing member for the other valve seat to suction and pressure conditions in the passageway on opposite sides of said one valve seat independent of the valve closing member therefor and thereby allow opening and closing movement, respectivelyA said second valve member away `from its seat under influence of said float when said oat -is moved to a lowered position while allowing move-ment of said second valve member away from its Seat independently of said member when said iloat it at anupper position.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein each valve closing member is in the form of a ball and said valve body has a ilexible diaphragm enclosing one end of said push rod and positioned externally of said Valve body, and wherein last named member has one end thereof positioned for actuating contact with said diaphragm and thereby said n push rod, the other end of said member'having a oat mounted thereon.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 951,855 n 2,756,769 Martin et al July 31, 1956 2,906,285 Rosten etal. Sept. 29, 1959 2,962,041 Johnson Nov. 29, 1960 Vsui-uvam Mar. 15, 1910 'i 

6. IN A CONTROL VALVE, A VALVE BODY HAVING A PASSAGEWAY FORMED THROUGH SAID BODY AND ADAPTED TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION BETWEEN OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF, A PAIR OF SPACED VALVE SEATS IN SAID PASSAGEWAY AND A PAIR OF INDEPENDENTLY MOVABLE VALVE CLOSING MEMBERS MOUNTED IN SAID PASSAGEWAY, EACH VALVE CLOSING MEMBER BEING POSITIONED FOR MOVEMENT AGAINST ONE OF SAID SEATS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF GRAVITY AND AWAY FROM ONE OF SAID SEATS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SUCTION, A BLEED PORT BYPASSING ONE OF THE VALVE SEATS SO AS TO SUBJECT THE VALVE CLOSING MEMBER FOR THE OTHER VALVE SEAT TO SUCTION AND PRESSURE CONDITIONS IN THE PASSAGEWAY ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID ONE VALVE SEAT INDEPENDENT OF THE VALVE CLOSING MEMBER THEREFOR AND THEREBY ALLOW OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENT, RESPECTIVELY OF SAID VALVE CLOSING MEMBER FOR THE OTHER VALVE SEAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SAID CONDITIONS, A PUSH ROD SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID VALVE BODY AND HAVING AN OPERATIVE CONNECTION WITH SAID SECOND VALVE CLOSING MEMBER, AND A MEMBER MOVABLY MOUNTED TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID PUSH ROD, SAID MEMBER BEING INTERCONNECTED WITH A FLOAT SO AS TO MOVE TOWARD SAID PUSH ROD WHEN SAID FLOAT IS LOWERED AND TO MOVE AWAY FROM SAID PUSH ROD WHEN SAID FLOAT IS RAISED, SAID MEMBER HAVING ONE END THEREOF POSITIONED FOR MOVEMENT AGAINST SAID PUSH ROD TO HOLD SAID SECOND VALVE MEMBER AWAY FROM ITS SEAT UNDER INFLUENCE OF SAID FLOAT WHEN SAID FLOAT IS MOVED TO A LOWERED POSITION WHILE ALLOWING MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND VALVE MEMBER AWAY FROM ITS SEAT INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID MEMBER WHEN SAID FLOAT IT AT AN UPPER POSITION. 